Warmth in Winter's Heart
by A-chan5
Summary: Before going insane, Sephiroth was very much human. And no human can escape caring for someone. One mission shows the General just how much he came to care for SOLDIER first class Zack.


Little thing that caught my attention and actually managed to keep it long enough for it to become an actual fanfic. Enjoy!

Summary: Before going insane, Sephiroth was very much human. And no human can escape caring for someone. One mission shows the General just how much he came to care for SOLDIER first class Zack.

Warnings: Violence and death.

Warmth in Winter's Heart

_The first time I saw him, the sheer power emanating from him was enough to make the words die in my throat. It was more than I had ever anticipated. I don't believe my momentary shock lasted more than half a second, but I'm sure his sharp Mako enhanced green eyes picked it up nonetheless. He acknowledged my presence with the slightest tightening of the eyes before disappearing down the corridor, not slowing his walk. Even the man talking to him did not notice anything. Maybe I imagined the whole scene, but even now I don't believe so. I had just been accepted in the SOLDIER program and I had met and been acknowledged by the General. From that moment on, I swore to never settle for less than being able to fight on the same level._

The air was humid and heavy with the promise of a cold downpour. The sky was a dreary black and no ray of sun could pierce through the black clouds, leaving the midday light as black as the evening. A previous storm that had raged for four days on end had left the already muddy ground into a treacherous swamp of cold slimy water. For the superstitious, it would have been a day of bad omen. A SOLDIER first class just did not believe in such senseless things.

The truck fought its way bravely through the swamp, as of yet winning the battle thanks to a body high on its wheels. It plundered at excruiating low speed, managing to make the ride quite uncomfortable by its incessant jumping and bumping as it rode over holes and other unknown obstacles. The tension inside the truck could be cut with a knife.

Zack Faelan peered out the slimy window and tried to see beyond the grime and decipher exactly where they were. Failing miserably, he turned towards the driver with a sigh. The man was intent on driving as he tried to manoeuvre through the swamp with no road to guide him.

"Where are we?" the SOLDIER asked wearily.

"By my best estimate, not halfway there," was the curt answer. The man did not appear very happy by the whole situation, which was perfectly understandable. Zack was not in a much better mood himself. Yet that was not a tone to be used when addressing a superior.

But before Zack could reprimand the man, a cold voice coming from the back of the truck beat him to it.

"Watch your tongue, Stephen," the voice droned with no apparent emotion. Despite the lack of explicit meaning, the threat could be felt in the air and the driver shivered visibly.

"Of course," he stammered, voice humble. "Pardon me, sir," he added for safety.

Zack added his own piece by just staring severely at Stephen until the driver started squirming under the glowing brown eyes. He did not dare say anything though; he was not about to forget whom exactly he was carrying around.

The SOLDIER walked towards the end of the truck, ignoring the lurching of the vehicle. He had suffered worse motion-wise and was not about to loose his balance so easily.

"That was not necessary," Zack said to the man sitting against the truck's wall. His back was straight and his arms crossed over his chest around a long katana that gleamed in the pale light.

Sephiroth fixed his unblinking green eyes on Zack and stared coolly at the man before answering.

"Insubordination must not be allowed," he answered slowly and without emotion.

"That's not what I meant. I could have taken care of him without your intervention," Zack replied and sat before the General.

Sephiroth did not reply and reverted his attention back to the wall before him, seeming to see something incredibly interesting in that piece of black metal. He did not say anything about Zack's familiar tone and the idea did not even cross his mind. Only one person could walk away with treating the General as an equal, and that was Zackary Faelen. But the man deserved that privilege. Maybe he was not exactly as strong as Sephiroth, but for a normal human being who had suffered the SOLDIER training, he was the strongest man Shinra had ever produced. The General recognized that power and respected it.

Moments passed without further words exchanged. Everything was perfectly silent but for the screeching of the wipers and the squishing sounds of the wheels in the mud. At some point the clouds surrendered the fight and rain started falling in big, fat droplets that blurred everything in sight. That was the truck's downfall; it got stuck not ten minutes after the rain had started.

The driver looked back at the two men nervously. He could feel the executioner's axe pressed against his neck as he opened his mouth to speak.

"We're stuck," he mumbled, voice trembling slightly. "The water is too high, the truck won't be able to go on," he finished, trying to keep his face blank like those of the two men looking at him and failing miserably.

Sephiroth stood up without a word and slung the door open. The greenish water had risen just over the wheels and prevented it from going any further. The rain was falling steadily, creating a thin veil that made it impossible to see anything two meters away.

Zack looked past Sephiroth's shoulder and shook his head in exasperation.

"We have no choice. Let's go. The sooner we leave, the sooner we arrive," he said grimly and checked his materia slots before jumping into the water. There were not supposed to be any dangerous monsters, but even an innocent bug could kill with the right poison. Which was why he had a Poison Ring around his finger.

Sephiroth followed him without a word. The water rose to his knees but he did not give any indication that it was bothering him. The driver hesitated before letting himself fall in the grime. It was no use staying in the truck and he'd feel a whole lot safer with the General and a SOLDIER first class than alone in the middle of nowhere.

Sephiroth ignored him and started waddling in the muck. It was thick and high enough to hinder even him, so Zack and the driver, who were noticeably smaller, had to toil twice as hard to advance.

Around twenty minutes passed before anything happened. Stephen, who was far from being as strong as the other two men, finally stopped. He was breathing hard and sweat poured down his face almost more than the rain.

Zack looked back at him with mild annoyance. They could not afford to wait on him forever, nor could they abandon him completely. They were in a fine mess, but he decided it was better if he was the one to deal with it. Sephiroth was in no mood to deal with weakness right now. After spending almost a year under his direct command, Zack had learned to see past the General's emotionless mask and what he saw right now was a thunderstorm threatening to break loose.

Zack walked back, thinking of a way to resolve this situation. Although he was the same height as Stephen there was no excessive exhaustion on his face. He had faced worst during his training and other missions, although this one was beating everything else annoying-wise.

Before he could even utter a word Stephen jumped with a curse and reached into the water to grab at his shin. A thin stream of red was stretching outwards, contrasting with the greenish colour of the water.

"There's something in the water!" he yelled angrily, looking around with panic etched on his face. He started turning around on himself and striking at the water like it was the cause of his injuries.

Zack kept his cool and grabbed Stephen by the shoulder and pushed him aside.

"Stop moving. You'll speed up your blood flow," he commanded and loosened his Buster Sword as he peered into the water. He had hoped there would be nothing creepy in the swamp, but he had not really believed it. This place was paradise for all kinds of fish and lizard monsters.

Try as he might, Zack could not find what had attacked Stephen. He had not thought it would hang around, but it might have come back, drawn to the warm blood.

"This is useless. We have to keep moving," he concluded and turned back towards the other two men.

The first thing he noticed was the sudden disappearance of Stephen, but then he caught a glimpse of a boot sticking out of the water.

"Poison. We'll move faster now," Sephiroth answered the unspoken question as he resumed his walking.

Zack felt a pang for Stephen as he caught up with Sephiroth, but that was all. The man had been a soldier, and he was soldier. He could not afford to cry for every single man lost during missions.

He had no trouble keeping up with the faster pace and he smiled at Sephiroth's back. He had been careful to slow down for Stephen, even if it had proved useless at the end. Whatever he said, the General took care of his men. In his own way.

000

It appeared that what had attacked Stephen was not content with just him, and it was not alone as it came back for Sephiroth and Zack. They had only their equipment to thank for surviving their walk in the swamp. Without them, the overwhelming doses of poison they received from the numerous bites and scratches would have killed even Sephiroth's mako and Jenova enhanced body.

Zack stifled a curse as yet another creepy critter gnawed at his shin. At this rate, he'd be bled dry before they even arrived.

"What is our position?" he asked to try and loosen the atmosphere. The rain was falling a little lighter which allowed a better view of the surroundings.

Sephiroth took out a small compass and adjusted it for a few seconds before answering.

"We should reach the mountain range surrounding the area soon," he answered simply. From where he was, Zack could see Sephiroth's Star Pendant glowing as it eliminated the poison flowing through his veins. Zack's own Poison Ring was burning against his finger as it fuelled him with poison transformed into energy.

"Did you read anything about these monsters in the files? Because I am pretty sure I didn't," he added, not really expecting an answer.

"No. And the incompetent who did not notify us will not get away with it," Sephiroth answered sourly.

Zack frowned. "Didn't Hojo say anything about it? It's doubtful that he'd have thrown you into something that could have killed you," he mused. The scientist, while not directly seeming too, always made sure that Sephiroth was supplied with every important piece of information. Through his uncaring demeanour, he looked as if he wanted the General to take as less risks as possible. It was weird, coming from Hojo. But the most unsettling fact was that he did not appear to do it because he cared for Sephiroth. Quite the contrary. It was as if he was a precious specimen he wanted to keep in good shape for an ulterior motive. What that was, though, was anyone's guess.

"Hojo wasn't briefed about this. They just took every piece of information their archives have about this region and dumped it in the mission files. Apparently they forgot or even ignored some," Sephiroth answered darkly. The simple name of Hojo was enough to anger the General into silent brooding. The only person who could remotely talk about the scientist without Sephiroth closing like an oyster was Zack. Then again, nothing was ever the same with him.

"What about the mountains?" He had not bothered checking that region since they had been supposed to go around the chain and get to the village by road. It was a mistake he now regretted and a sloppiness he disapproved of. He had been too confident.

"Some ice monsters, nothing to be worried about," Sephiroth answered and checked his compass once again. He ignored Zack's mistake completely. When he had first had the boy under his command, he had sometimes reprimanded him when he did something wrong, but he had quickly learned it was useless. Whether he told him or not, Zack never did the same error twice.

Zack shook his head and checked his materias. He had nothing adequate to fight ice monsters: A level 2 Lighting and Ice, both junctioned to a level 3 Elemental. It was perfect for swamp monsters, but it would get him killed if he wasn't careful in the mountains. He knew Sephiroth had a level 3 Fire and Cure, both attached to a level 4 All, yet he could not fully depend on him. That would prove too dangerous and he refused to be a burden. Fortunately for him, he had a few Molotovs and Fire Fangs. If the monsters were as Sephiroth described them, it should be enough.

The rest of the walk was spent in silence. Both men were more worried about reaching the mountains before they bled to death or before their accessories broke under the stress of so much poison. They were helpless against the swimming monsters scratching and chewing at their shins; they were gone as soon as they had taken a bite out of them. Who would have thought so tiny and weak critters could actually be the downfall of the two most powerful men on Earth?

A sudden sense of urgency gave wings to the two men's feet as they picked up the pace once again. They could see the mountains beyond the blurry veil of rain, could sense their solace.

Zack was starting to feel the strain, and he did not like it. He knew his face must be white from all the blood he had lost, and going whiter with each drop that seeped out of his injured legs. He had precious few healing potions on him and was reluctant to use them, but he finally convinced himself he had no choice. Better alive with one less potion than dead with all of them.

His legs started healing as soon as the bluish liquid entered his bloodstream. Renewed energy filled him and he felt colour go back to his cheeks. It was not much, but it would last him to the mountains.

Sephiroth cast him one calculating look. There was an empty vial at his belt, proof that he had also used a potion.

"Are you alright?" he asked. Although the question in itself might be friendly, there was no trace of worry or friendship in his voice. He was simply assessing his comrade's ability to fulfill the mission.

"The quicker out of this swamp the better," he answered. He could tell that Sephiroth was also starting to be seriously affected by the incessant attacks of the small monsters. Although his injuries always seemed to heal more quickly, his flesh was a ghostly white that proved his exhaustion.

The water level slowly started declining, making their progress much easier. From that point on they jogged to the foot of the mountains and the protection of its rocky slopes. After spending two hours struggling against the swamp, stopping to catch their breath seemed the best thing in the world.

Zack saw something ripple at the edge of the water, like a fish was swimming just at the surface. Before it could get away he took out his Buster Sword in one smooth movement and impaled the monster.

The thing was ugly. All tentacles and claws, it had a greenish skin that was covered with its yellow blood. It squirmed a little, clawing at the blade and trying to get free, before it finally died.

"And it's this kind of things we've been feeding all this time," Zack grumbled with false humour as he removed the monster from his blade with his foot. The yellowish goo sticking to his blade disgusted him but he preferred not to touch it just yet. The chances were high that it was very poisonous.

Now that they could actually _see_ their injuries, the two men realized just how dangerous their little walk had been; ten more minutes and they'd have been done for. Their lower legs were covered with bites and scratches that bled profusely and the oldest had started to ooze a yellowish substance as the swamp water had caused an infection.

"Who would have thought weak little monsters like that could have killed us?" Zack joked, recovering some of his usual light mood.

Water was running down a small alcove in the mountainside, creating a tiny yet clean pool of rainwater. They both washed their legs as best they could, the cold water amazingly refreshing compared to the thick mud of the swamp. Of course it was not enough to take the infection out of their biggest injuries, but that was why Sephiroth carried a Cure around.

"There should be a cave close by that will take us through the mountains and to the village," Sephiroth said after casting a Regen on himself and Zack. He looked around, then shot a look at his compass.

"I suggest we start by climbing. There's something that looks like a path up over there," Zack suggested and pointed to a small ledge slightly to their right. He could feel the wounds of his leg heal ever so slowly as energy filled his veins steadily. The Regen would not last forever, but it would be enough to last them the remainder of the trip. If they didn't encounter any more problems.

Sephiroth followed Zack's finger, then looked back at the green water. An alarming number of bubbles were breaking the surface as dozens of tiny monsters roamed the border.

"Let's hurry. I'm not ready to bet on whether they can breathe air," the General agreed and started the abrupt climb towards the ledge.

Zack followed quickly, sparing a look down at the water once in a while in case monsters started going after them. Apparently none could do more than pop out its ugly head out for a few seconds before diving back in, but, like Sephiroth had said, he was not ready to bet on that.

The path hardly deserved the name. It was just a little more even and had less boulders on it. Apparently it was still used, although not enough to be properly tended. That and not many villagers were liable to be strong enough to make the trip with the monsters roaming around.

Zack was grateful for it nonetheless. It made the climb much easier, and considering the fact that they had to backtrack a few times because they had taken a wrong turn or the path was decidedly blocked, he was happy to have something to guide him, however small.

"So…what exactly was this mission's objective? I'm getting lost, among everything extra and unexpected we have to do," Zack finally said, breaking the silence that only the rain and wind had previously disturbed.

"Getting back alive and killing the Shinra workers who didn't fill the files properly," Sephiroth answered in what could be considered a serious tone, but Zack knew the General enough to see that he was in a good mood.

Sephiroth did not mind making detours when he had no choice, not even if it meant climbing a mountain or waddling into swamp water with monsters chewing at his shins. What had made him so angry and annoyed was the fact that those detours had been occasioned by someone's foolishness. And everyone knows how Sephiroth suffers stupidity. He simply doesn't.

"For a simple 'get-to-the-village-and-wait-for-orders' mission, this sure is proving to be a handful. Pretty fishy if you ask me," Zack suggested more seriously.

"I agree. But right now there's no helping it," Sephiroth countered with a frustrated shake of his head. "There's the cave. Finally," he abruptly added and pointed to something just overhead. Relief was plain in his voice as he stepped inside the shelter of the cave.

"About time. I had nearly forgotten what it is to be dry," Zack added with a relieved smile. He shook his head in a vain attempt to remove the most of the water in his long black hair.

"Don't be too happy yet," Sephiroth countered and pointed to two wolf-like monsters that were approaching with challenging snarls.

Zack shrugged with a weary sigh and eased his Buster Sword out of its scabbard.

000

The wolves were easily disposed of, and the two men could resume their walk without a hitch. The Regen was steadily pumping energy into their veins, fuelling them with much-needed energy. Which was thankful, considering what was waiting for them.

The caves were nice, in a sort of cold way. They were all white and glistened with moisture, reflecting an unknown light. At least they weren't completely blinded. Sephiroth was in front, choosing the paths only after a careful calculation with his compass. They were in a natural maze, and both didn't feel like getting lost right now.

They had reached a very narrow pathway when a low growl had them freeze in their tracks. It was coming from behind them and Zack turned quickly, his Buster Sword raised and ready. But there was nothing. Only the constant growling and a faint odour of blood and sweat.

"It doesn't sound like one of the wolf monsters. It sounds…bigger," Zack pointed out, wrinkling his nose at the foul smell.

"There was no file of what exact sort of monsters lived here, except that they were ice type. I think it's an Ogre," replied Sephiroth, his Masamune held loosely at his side. In the position they were in, Zack in front and Sephiroth behind, the weapon would not be of any use. The only way he'd be able to participate in this fight was with magic.

"Great. This place is tight enough for us, I don't think he'll be able to squeeze inside," Zack grumbled and peered at the tunnel intently. It was slightly widening, though not enough to make a big difference.

The growling intensified and something shook the walls. The floor started rumbling and cracking as though an earthquake was breaking the mountain in two.

"What the…? This is bigger than an Ogre! And it's trying to break free!" Zack cried angrily, trying to keep his balance as the ground lurched under his feet.

Sephiroth was not having a much better time about it. With one strong quake the General was destabilized and had to hold on the wall to stay upright.

"It's coming from underground! We have to get out of this tunnel. If it caves in, we're done for," Sephiroth cried over the noise and started stumbling forward.

Zack followed him the best he could, but his feet suddenly sank as a rock tumbled into a cavity and made him loose his balance. He cursed and pulled himself upright again, but the floor was quickly falling on itself. There seemed to be a cave right under the tunnel and the shaking was breaking its fragile balance.

Zack knew he was in trouble, but when an ear-piercing roar covered the tumult of the tumbling boulders, he realized he was in _real _trouble. A huge snake-like head broke the rocky surface just between him and Sephiroth, finishing the task of dismantling the floor. Before he could so much as cry out, Zack felt himself fall into the pit the monster had created. He only had enough time to curse his luck before something knocked him out and darkness engulfed him.

000

Sephiroth felt the floor give in under his feet and he made one last desperate jump forward to try and reach solid ground. Amazingly enough, he succeeded. His lower body fell short though, and he was left hanging halfway into the abyss, the snarling monster just at his back ready to take a piece out of his hide.

He hoisted himself up with one strong pull of his arms just as the monster snapped its massive jaws where his legs had been dangling a few seconds before. Turning on himself to face the monster, he used the momentum to land a powerful blow to the thing's head.

The snake reeled back with a shriek that shook the very mountain's foundation. Blood oozed from the gash across its temple, blinding one of its yellow eyes. The other fixed itself on Sephiroth with an angry growl as its forked tongue lashed out to smell the air. Moments past with the two giants staring at each other, green into yellow, both glowing eerily. For a fleeting moment Sephiroth seemed to see his reflection into the amber orbs. He thought he saw a face full of mad animosity and it sent a wave of shivers up his spine, but then the monster blinked and the moment was broken. It opened its enormous jaw and a sort of bluish light gathered in the gaping hole.

Sephiroth recognized that light too much. Pushing his uneasiness aside roughly, he jumped in the air and stabbed the monster with Masamune and used the blade as a handle to stay on the snake. The thing grunted in surprise and pain, releasing the spell in shock. The beam of solidified cold shot just over Sephiroth's head and crashed into the end of the tunnel, causing another part to cave in with an deafening rumbling sound.

That threat gone, Sephiroth charged a Fire3 and aimed at point blank range at the monster's head, just raising his hand until it contacted with its jaw. Before the snake could react, he let loose of the spell.

Fire erupted from his hand and tore right through the monster's jaw, blasting the lower lip and nose away so that only a charcoaled lump of flesh was left of its mouth. The monster howled its pain, a deep, guttural sound, and started swinging its tail frantically in the underground so fiercely that it seemed it would bring down the whole mountain.

Sephiroth pulled Masamune away from the writhing body with one powerful move before jumping back on the ledge. He did not wait to see the monster die; he knew it would, be it by loss of blood or anything else, and started running down the tunnel. The thing's thrusts of agony could easily bring down the ground on which he was stepping, and he did not wish to find himself on it when it happened.

After what seemed barely a few seconds, one last powerful shriek pierced Sephiroth's eardrums and he covered his ears with a wince, stopping so as not to be thrown down as the floor shook dangerously under the snake's weight crashing back into the abyss it had burst out of. The echoes slowly died down and a heavy silence fell, strange and eerie after so much noise.

The fight over, Sephiroth finally spared a moment to assess the situation. He carefully walked back to the hole, one careful step at a time in case the floor gave under him, and stopped at the edge. He had lost sign of Zack during the battle, and an unexpected sense of dread crept up as he stared into the black. He could not see the SOLDIER, couldn't hear him or even sense him. He had no clue how deep that hole was, no way of finding out either without killing himself.

Sephiroth straightened up slowly, like a snake raising its head smoothly, waiting to give the fatal bite. For all he knew, the monster could have crushed Zack when falling. Feeling anger at the beast, at himself and his uselessness, at everything and everyone in general, he spun around and stomped down the tunnel. He was going to find his fallen comrade, be it his corpse.

000

Zack woke up to a painful throbbing in his head. He sat up with a groan and pressed his hand to his temple, feeling hot blood seeping between his fingers.

"Great, just what I needed," he mumbled to himself as he hoisted his aching body to his feet. Every single muscle hurt despite the Mako running through his veins and that proved one thing: being a normal human being, he'd have died from that fall.

Zack looked up, hoping to catch a glimpse of light, but only darkness met him. He cursed some more and started looking around. There was an awful stench in the air that burned his throat and almost made his eyes water. He had a hunch of what gave off the foul odour, and he moved slowly, making no abrupt moves so as not to alert that something.

His sharp eyes, with the help of Mako, could pierce through the darkness so that the SOLDIER could distinguish shapes vaguely and not stumble down another hole. That's when he spotted the huge black mass that stood not three feet away from where he had fallen. The monster!

Zack stumbled backwards and his hand reached for his Broad Sword only to close on air. His body covered itself with a sheen of cold sweat as he scanned the area for his precious weapon. He had no materia to stand up against to the monster, he'd be defenceless without his sword. He took one careful step back, then another, until the strange lack of movement of the beast caught his attention. Could it be waiting for its move, waiting for Zack to drop his guard?

Unnerved to the extreme, he nearly had a heart attack when his heel hit something sharp. He froze completely and only relaxed when the something did not make any move to bite his leg off. He lowered himself to his knees ever so slowly and groped in the dark for the thing.

He couldn't suppress a sigh of relief when his hand strayed over something slick and cool : his sword's blade. Something wet was all over the blade though, and Zack frowned as he tried to recall when that could have happened. He had no injured himself other than for his head, and the stuff was too slick and warm to be water. That's when the monster's stillness appeared in a new light.

Holding the Broad Sword in a defensive position, Zack inched closer to the mass, now noticing the slippery ground and the small gurgling sound. He stopped at arms' length and poked the body with the tip of his weapon. No reaction. He slowly tore the flesh but still the monster did not react. Zack had to conclude that it was most definitively dead, and all the liquid on the ground and probably covering him from head to foot, he had not noticed because of his clothes already drenched by water, was the monster's blood.

Zack looked up and a smile stretched his lips despite his predicament.

"Sephiroth, you lucky bastard. I owe you one," he muttered with humour as he started scouting the cave for a way out, or up.

000

It appeared that the part the monster had caved in with its cold blast was of no big importance. Sephiroth managed to get out quite easily although he was in no mood to marvel at his luck. Zack was still in there, and he was not going to leave him to rot.

The sky had cleared ever so slightly during his trek in the caves, the rain now a gentle curtain that weak, sensible people associated with spring and all the mushiness that ensued. Sephiroth, though, did not see it as such. For him, it was one more irritant that muddied the already wet ground and made his walk difficult. At least, if his compass was not broken, the village he had to reach was not very far, about an hour's walk away. There, he'd replenish his supplies and come back for Zack. He preferred wasting time going to the town rather then wander for who knows how long in the mountain, without food or potions. Who knew in which state he'd find Zack?

The mountain path snaked around a deep valley turned into a swamp by the strong rains. Enormous trees with drooping branches grew amongst the murky water, providing an ideal area for any kind of monster. Sephiroth was suddenly very glad for the little detour he had been forced to take in the caves. He would not have fancied walking in there. At all.

The village suddenly appeared after a little less than an hour's walk. It was nestled on an outcrop that protected them from the wet weather and the marches below. Mining sounds echoed eerily as the men worked to collect the silver that filled the mountains in amazing quantities. Only the restricting territory prevented that town from growing bigger, making the habitants filthy rich. The mines provided ridiculous amounts of money that were then distributed between very few people. One proof of that wealth was the chocobos trotting around in a pen on the mountainside. There was no food for the birds, no clean water. Everything had to be bought and delivered to that remote corner, making the low price for greens and fodder jump to amazing heights. Despite that, a few green and blue chocobos and even a black one lazed around among the normal ones.

The birds gave Sephiroth an idea. If he could get one to ride back to the mountain, it would save him a lot of precious time. Now, would the villagers allow him to take one? In such a situation, he would have grinned. Of course they'd let him, he was the General with a capital 'G'. But in his current mood, he could not find it in himself to smile, even evilly.

At first he thought he'd be able to enter the village without anyone really noticing. There was nobody at the small wooden gate, nobody staring out of the nearby houses. But then a kid turned the corner up the street and caught a glance of Sephiroth. His eyes widened so that even from a good distance away the General could see the white around the pupils, and he bolted away with excited cries.

"A soldier! There's a soldier!"

Figures, the town had probably rarely seen any Shinra soldier of a higher rank than a truck driver, and he knew in which scary state he was. Wet, bloody and with a good layer of mud, he was far from reflecting a friendly image. Not that he ever did, but now was just worst than ever.

Soon enough, a small crowd of women and kids were gathering around him. One woman in her early forties stepped up and eyed Sephiroth uneasily, than peered over his shoulder as if looking for someone.

"We have been expecting you. I am the mayor's wife, Elinda" she introduced, fighting hard to keep the shaking out of her voice. Her many silver bracelets jingled as she sketched what looked like a bow. "But we were also expecting another SOLDIER…" she let her sentence hang unfinished as she peered nervously at Sephiroth.

The man could understand the general skittishness of the massed women, but he had no time to try and deal with it. Waving the matter away sharply, he cast one look at the surrounding houses and shops.

"Where can I find battle supplies?" he asked darkly, already moving towards what looked like a weapons' shop.

Elinda followed with a jingling sound, her hands moving nervously around her skirts.

"We do not have much battle ware, but there are some accessories made of silver and we also have an item shop. They're both in that building," she pointed out. It was the same as Sephiroth had thought.

Not bothering with the woman, he entered the building and walked up to the counter arrogantly.

The bird-like man on the other side jumped at the stranger but he quickly recovered his composure when he smelled the money this newcomer had on him.

"What can I do for you, my good sir?" he asked dryly, sweeping an arm behind him to show the many accessories and shelves of items.

Sephiroth looked over the accessories but quickly dismissed them. They had nothing of use to him, and they were all of an exorbitant price. Instead, he bought a big enough quantity of High-Potions to make the shopkeeper go into a small fit of giggles when he handed him the bill. But he was not done. He also wanted a few Ethers, and it was only the sound of solid Gils against the counter that convinced the man to go into the back store and go fetch them. He was not stupid, he did not keep the more precious items on the shelves for all to see and probably steal. The Remedies were no less easy to get, especially since it was getting clear that he was emptying the man's shop.

At last it came to the interesting part. Sephiroth just stared at the shopkeeper, a hand on the bags containing his supplies, until the birdie man started fidgeting nervously.

"Yes, good sir? Something missing?" he finally asked, voice slightly shaking.

"Indeed, it does. A Megalixir," Sephiroth answered, his glowing green eyes drilling a hole in the shopkeeper's.

"A Megalixir…? Why, I…I have no such thing!" the man stuttered. The lie was so blatantly evident, he himself must have realized he had given himself away as he started sweating.

One tightening of his eyes was enough to make the birdman blanch visibly.

"No! I…I do have one…But," the man started wringing his hands together. "They don't come around often…so for the price…"

Indeed not, they were very rare. Few precious people could boast having a Megalixir in their store, and none were foolish enough to do it. The potions could bring fabulous money on the black market, enough to risk a robbery for just one of the item. So they were kept safely and secretly in the back store unless someone with enough money and connections came around to buy it. Sephiroth had taken a wild guess on assuming this shop had one, but considering its wealth, the contrary would have been surprising.

"You have over-priced ever item I bought enough to buy three other Megalixir. I will not pay for this one," Sephiroth stated coldly. All right, he was more than exaggerating; his items, even over-priced, were far from being enough to buy just one Megalixir. But he didn't care. He had accepted his earlier prices without a word, now the little bird-like man would accept his.

"But sir…" the man started but he was cut off by Masamune being sharply slammed against the floor. The blade quivered and sang, making the shopkeeper turn even whiter. He stared at the upright blade and swallowed with difficulty.

"You do realize my influence in Shinra…It would be a shame to have all contacts with the company be cut off, wouldn't it?" Sephiroth pressed. Indeed, Shinra was their biggest customer and, without its steady commerce, the little town would go bankrupt quickly enough.

The shopkeeper cast one look at Sephiroth's face before turning around with a sigh that sounded more like a whimper and disappearing into the back store. A few minutes passed before he came back with the precious bottle of gold-like liquid. It shimmered and shone even in the pale light, and after a careful examination with which Sephiroth made sure it was the real stuff, he turned around and left without a word.

000

Zack had only one word to say. Or two. Bloody. Hell.

First he was trapped into a dark reeking cave with the corpse of some huge snake monster that was properly flooding the place with its fowl blood. Next, his only way out was to crawl on his stomach for almost an hour through some godforsaken tunnel that was cold and mushy with unknown substances he preferred not to know the origin of. And now this. A swamp. Again.

The rocky cliffs surrounding the small flooded valley were too abrupt for him to climb, and there was no path up unless he crossed more than half of the swamp. Which meant waddling through the same murk as earlier that day and probably getting bitten at the legs by the same kind of monsters.

There was no way he was going to risk his life stupidly by trying to cross. Doing so would more than surely kill him, and he had to get back at Sephiroth alive. Zack looked around carefully, searching for another way.

And then he got his answer: two enormous Malboros rose from the waters, mouth open and filthy saliva dangling from their fangs as their tentacles slithered in the air with a queasy sound, anxious for the kill. Zack immediately adopted a fighting stance but he was no fool; he had nothing that could get him out of this fight unscathed. If he even survived it.

000

Sephiroth stood at the edge of the fence, evaluating the chocobos grazing on the other side. He'd need two, one for himself and one for Zack. He doubted one animal would be able to support both their weight for very long.

"How about this one?" a slow, drawling voice said as a chocobo breeder lead one of the yellow animals out of the pack and towards Sephiroth.

The General cast one look at the chocobo and his eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Don't take me for a fool. This chocobo is barely tamed," Sephiroth snapped. He was far from being an expert at breeding the birds, but he had been forced to ride one on a few occasions and had learned to recognize a few signs. The way this one twitched his wings and walked with brisk jumpy steps showed that he was constantly on the lookout for an escape route.

"But I assure you he's our fastest and bravest!" the man continued, truly believing the soldier before him was ignorant.

Sephiroth ignored him completely and jumped over the fence. Ignoring the protests of the breeder, he aimed straight for the black chocobo. The bird was watching him with sharp yellow eyes that were a tad menacing, but he let himself be taken by his halter without a fuss.

"I'll take this one and the green over there. Give me their bridles, and be quick about it. I'm in a hurry," Sephiroth snapped as he went to fetch said green chocobo.

The breeder was left in the middle of the pen, mouth working as he tried to find something to say. One look over Sephiroth's shoulder and he hurried away to get the bridles in the stable. That and he decided the money the soldier had given him was enough that he didn't need to be dishonest.

A few minutes later and Sephiroth was speeding on the mountain path, the powerful black chocobo beating the rocky ground relentlessly and the green chocobo following with small chirps of good mood. The second chocobo was attached to the first's bridle and it sometime gave a tug as it tried to go another way, but one sharp shriek from the black and it hurried back in line.

The path that had taken him a little than an hour to complete only took fifteen minutes for the two amazing chocobos. It seemed they were filled to the brim with the rare Reagan Greens, which made the two incredible in stamina and speed. Sephiroth soon reached the part of the mountain in which nestled the small swamp, and the scene that was played before his eyes froze his blood.

000

Zack had run out of items quickly. The damn creatures' Bad Breath were more obnoxious than a whole troop of green soldiers just out for their first field job. The only thing he was protected from now was poison, but at this point it didn't make much of a difference.

He was blinded, his senses had been completely altered so that he had trouble making a difference between up and down, he could not utter a word or call upon his materias, and so on and so forth. The only thing he could do was run around like an idiot and try dodging the Malboro's attacks. Judging by the gaping wound across his middle and the left arm that hung useless at his side, it wasn't that effective. And without both arms, he could not wield his sword to full efficiency.

The only thing that had kept him alive so far was Sephiroth's earlier Regen. It had stopped working by now, but at least it had allowed him to face this battle in perfect physical condition. But now he was growing dangerously tired and he could feel death looming over him ominously.

That's when he heard a familiar warking sound. He thought he was going crazy on top of everything that was happening, but then some cool vapour enveloped him, seeping into his skin immediately. The substance entered his bloodstream in less than five seconds and started working on every wound and ailment that was threatening his life. His injuries closed and his body was purged of the substances that had blinded, confused and silenced him.

Zack, now that he was overflowing with energy, looked at the person that had saved his life. And nearly fell in the murky water with laughter.

Sephiroth was perched on a huge black chocobo and looking deadly serious, as if he was not riding some overgrown bird. He was hopelessly dirty and bloody, which completely destroyed the dignified air he was trying to have. The only thing that kept him from completely surrounding to his laughter was the sudden noisy intake of breath that signalled another Bad Breath. Zack dove head first in the water, for once free of small monsters because of the two imposing Malboros, and avoided the fowl black mist.

When he broke the surface, it was to see Sephiroth charge at one of the Malboros, sword held at the chocobo's side as he heeled the bird towards the looming monster. The other was wriggling in agony, its body burning brightly from Sephiroth's fire spell. It was not defeated, though, so Zack launched at it immediately with his Buster Sword raised high in the air, forgetting for a while his fit of laughter at seeing Sephiroth using the chocobo like some war animal, which it was not.

He dodged a flurry of tentacles, cut some, and while the Malboro was still blinded by the pain of the fire consuming its flesh, Zack trust his sword up its gaping mouth, piercing the palate and hitting the brain. The monster froze for a few seconds before falling back slowly, dead, sending waves of green water crashing against his legs and nearly making him fall.

As for Sephiroth, he had disposed of the other Malboro in a similar fashion and was concentrating his energy in controlling his chocobo who was trying to bolt in panic. The bird was rolling terrified eyes and warking in sheer horror.

Zack chuckle openly and stepped forward. Grabbing the chocobo by its bridle, he made small soothing sounds and patted its beak until it calmed down.

"So, where did you find this bird?" he asked, holding back his laughter with great trouble. If only Sephiroth could see himself!

"The village," Sephiroth snapped, seeing Zack's mood and not liking its source.

"Don't be cranky now. If only you could see yourself on that big bird, you'd laugh too!" Zack joked as he followed Sephiroth who had started for the side of the cliff.

"I guess you won't ride the one I brought for you then?" the General retorted and his face started to break into a smile. The relief of seeing Zack alive had taken him aback, especially since he could not control it.

"You've got another one? That can run in the mountains without trouble? That village is too rich for its own good," Zack muttered with a shake of his head, but he was also looking for said chocobo.

"So long as a part of that money goes to Shinra, it doesn't matter. Over there." Spehiroth pointed to the top of the cliff where a green feathered head could be seen as it peered over the edge curiously.

"I can't climb that, sorry. Push over, that big, courageous war chocobo of yours should be strong enough to at least carry us both up the cliff," Zack said as he tapped Sephiroth's leg lightly and placed a hand on the bird's back to swing himself up.

Sephiroth moved forward, surprised at Zack's gesture. He was more astonished by his own lack of reaction. Since when did he allow people to touch him like that? He twisted around, his face carefully set into its familiar aloof expression, and he grabbed Zack's uniform to help him get on the chocobo's back. The bird gave a wark of protest at the added weight, but Sephiroth silenced it with one sharp tug on the reins and heeled it up the slope.

"Don't bite the hand that feeds you," he snapped although his voice was by no means menacing.

"Sure, but that poor bird never saw a fight in its life, and you go and use it as a war animal! It was damn right funny."

"What was I supposed to do? Let the Malboros kill you while I find a place to tie the stupid animal?" Sephiroth snapped back more angrily than he had meant it. He felt Zack freeze against his back and he slapped himself mentally. He didn't know why exactly, but he couldn't help but care about how Zack felt. It was something he never did usually and it puzzled him.

"Sorry. Guess I should thank the thing. And you of course," Zack added as if in afterthought but he placed a hand on Sephiroth's arm and squeezed it to show he truly was grateful.

Sephiroth did not say anything. Right now he was only aware of how the two were –poor chocobo didn't have an elastic back- practically glue together. It was not exactly comfortable, what with their clothes being all wet and bloody and muddy, but it was also surprisingly reassuring. He would never have thought such a contact would not annoy him and, although he was not ready to downright admit it, that he would find it almost pleasing.

Before he could think on the matter longer, the black chocobo reached the top of the cliff, its chest heaving and its wings fluttering in weak protest. It had not appreciated having to carry two fully grown, armed men up a sheer cliff.

Zack jumped down its back immediately and gave it an affectionate pat on the beak.

"Good job, you overgrown turkey. You saved my butt today and I'll find a way to repay you," he thanked although he knew he would not go out of his way to repay a bird that would probably forget the adventure in a month or two.

He went immediately to the green chocobo, untied its bridle from around the rock it had been attached too, and swung on its back.

"Lead the way. I can hear the sound of a good warm shower from here," Zack said as he nodded for Sephiroth to go.

The General heeled his chocobo forward, but he let it find its way back to the village. His mind was more preoccupied by the foreign thoughts that were running through his head.

He had always believed he was above normal human behaviour; that such feelings as love and fear were for weak men. He still thought so, too, but there was an edge of doubt that had crept up unexpected.

He had been scared. Scared to see Zack dead. Scared to be too late when he had found him battling two Malboros. And now that it was all over, that his comrade was healed and safe, he felt relief, although he was not sure he recognized the emotion. The only times he had felt relief was when an enemy had made a foolish move that had given him a narrow victory. Yet it was different this time.

And now he was looking forward and he knew Zack was standing at his back, strong and powerful, and that he could trust his life to him. Even more so, he wanted him to be trustworthy, he wanted to be able to keep him at his back. Because if he proved too weak, he'd have to replace him, and he'd hate that. Yes, for the first time, Sephiroth felt an attachment that was more than just practicality and strength. He cared for Zack the person before the soldier.

Under all of the grime and blood covering his face, Sephiroth's lips curved up in what was a real, warm smile.

000

The End

Here you go, hoped you liked it! The first part is a bit long, I admit, but I originally intended to make it a few chapters long before I fused the two together. And then I was too lazy to change it all so…Feedback please?

A-chan


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